And Constantine went; and the long and sorely tried and deeply injured, but still faithful and loving sister, with her dying breath besought him to recall the great and holy Arius, and restore the peace and unity of the Church and of the empire; and with a mighty oath (as usual) he promised so to do.
CHAPTER XIII.
WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.
During the slow lapse of all the years which had passed away since the date of the Nicene Council, Arius the Libyan was almost as much dead unto the world as if he had indeed departed from this life. None, except the emperor and a few trusted officers, knew anything more of him than that he was kept a close prisoner somewhere in Illyricum, none knew precisely where; and so carefully was the secret guarded, that even unto this day the precise place and manner of his imprisonment remain entirely unknown. For a few years after he had disappeared so suddenly, there were now and then vague rumors in circulation that some of his devoted adherents had discovered the location of his prison, and were plotting to deliver him therefrom; and the same rumors indefinitely connected the names of Crispus Cæsar and of young Licinius with these revolutionary designs; and cunning Fausta had used these rumors, with remorseless skill and intelligence, to the destruction of them both. But whether these were merely vague and idle surmises, whether there was some foundation in fact for them, or whether the crafty emperor himself had invented and floated them, in order to justify the murders upon which he had already determined, will forever be unknown. For, upon the perpetration of these enormous crimes, a mist of horror overspread the empire that hid the name and memory of the Libyan from the popular gaze, and thenceforth absolutely nothing was known of him until he suddenly and unexpectedly appeared at Constantinople.
A few days after the funeral of Constantia, Constantine summoned Eusebius and said unto him: "Bishop, I swore unto Constantia that I would recall Arius speedily, and I will keep mine oath; for reflection convinceth me that piety in this regard is true policy also. In what manner dost thou deem it most fitting to effectuate this purpose?"
"Do it like a Christian, like a statesman, like an emperor," said Eusebius, "with a whole heart, generously! And let there be nothing small, or niggardly, or mean, in thine action. A few narrow-minded ones among the orthodox may for a while murmur at it; but the Arians will rejoice, and all Christians and all men will say it was a noble thing to do! Therefore, let it be done in a grand and princely way!"
"Particularize the programme which thou thinkest to be 'grand' and 'princely.'"
"Let free pardon be granted unto Arius, without conditions of any kind whatever. Let proclamation be made that the presbyter will be received into communion again, in thine own city and in thine own church, and then transferred to his old pastoral charge, the Baucalis church in Alexandria, and so recompense his sufferings with a triumphant return, and receive him at the church-door in thine own person!"
"It shall so be done at once," answered Constantine. "No apologies or explanations to be demanded or received. Do thou immediately set a day, and carefully arrange all the details of the ceremony as thou wilt. I will have the old heretic here at the appointed time."
And Eusebius with a glad heart set to work to carry the emperor's design into effect. Some among the orthodox murmured, and on the evening before the day appointed, Alexander, the Bishop of Constantinople, was heard to exclaim, "Let me, or Arius, die before tomorrow!"